Your Money

Money gets more important once you leave school

As you gear up for a life after high school, it soon becomes clear just how big a part money plays in this next stage of your life.

You are going to be working for it, using it to pay for your studies, using it to have somewhere to live and to eat regularly, funding your gap year with it or buying a car.

Planning to study?

It is likely you will need to get a student loan to help pay for your course. Studying a degree like a Bachelor of Science or of Arts will probably cost $6-7,000 each year in course fees alone, way more than you will be able to earn during the holidays.

For potential students, living costs is another huge consideration. The cost of a year in a hostel, costs for books and other study materials, the price of your entertainment and fun – it all adds up. A student allowance might be useful here and the beauty of these is that they don’t need to be paid back like the student loans do.

Working? You need to know this stuff too

If you are heading straight to work or to start an apprenticeship and are earning money, great. Be aware though that you are going to need to pay tax on what you earn, and if you are earning, join Kiwisaver. It’s a smart move.

Heading off to study or work and living away from home?

If you are going to a university or polytechnic that is not in your home town, you will need to sort where you plan to live. For school leavers heading away from home there are three options, a university or polytechnic hostel, flatting (usually with others), and boarding or homestay accommodation. All three are quite different and it is important that you are able to choose the option that will work best for you.